Weak Ankles and Falling Down

Fell down a few weeks ago, first time in years. What a shock to take a step, expecting an ankle to be there supporting me, and instead finding myself on my butt on the basement floor! I sprained my foot and opposite knee really bad.

Are weak ankles and falling down part of the FM experience? So now, with all the other crappy symptoms, I have to worry about falling down??? Or are weak ankles just another result of not exercising enough...they're weak just like all the other muscles in my body.

Actually, I could feel this coming. My ankles have been getting weaker and weaker. When I take a step and one ankle feels like it's "giving out" I usually catch myself and can keep going. But this recent fall was a total surprise and is so depressing!

I'm really starting to feel like an invalid. Is my future one of canes and wheelchairs??

Sure hope you are alright? I did not have a problem with the ankles but my knees use to just give out on me. It usually happened when I got out of the bed in the morning.

I would just fall. But I have been fine for a few years now.

I know this sounds like a constant rerun with me, but I am being totally honest. Since I started taking the Pro Energy and the ZMA, this also stopped happening.

I do not know if the two supplements helped all that has changed for me, but I can say that there is a world of difference in my over all health.

Also drinking water seems to have made a great improvement in my health.

I sure hope you find out what is causing this, you could really hurt yourself falling. I took a tumble down the stairs, fortunately I landed on my behind, but I could hardly walk for a couple of days. It seemed to have jolted my whole body.

That was one of the first Symptoms, weak ankles. I kept spraining them, and the Doctor I was seeing said it was just Chronic Sprain's.

SO I found me a Good Orthopedic Dr. and that's when I found out that I had CMP and that with the FMS, which was dx later. Will cause you to have what is called, Buckling Knee's and Ankles. I'm always tripping over my feet, or I go to take a step, and Surprise, the feet don't move with me and down I go.

I use a Cane, and I also have a Black 4 wheel cart that I can put my Doggie in , and we go for a morning walk. He helps to keep the cart from tipping over, and he loves to go. Trouble is he's so Cute, that people stop me to much, and I don't always get the walking in that I wanted. But hey, He is Cute, lol.

I also wear good walking shoes, I have discoverd Dr. Scholls has some nice (well considering everything) looking shoes, with the gel's built in or they have the comfort support insert's. I usually buy the shoes, and then the insert's, cost me more that way, and plus I don't have to wear Dorky shoes like before.
They actually have some Style to them, and for me, I really like that.
I get Mine at Walmart, now I can wear dress's with sandles and not be so wobbly.

I wear Boot's during the Winter Month's, flat heels, on all my shoes, that help's too.

Now this may sound funny, but to strengthen the ankles, walk every day for at least 10 min.s, just don't go fast, and take something to help you to steady yourself. I also do range of motion excerise's while sitting down, and there are some excerise's that you can do with thoes new Sport's Band's, get one that's not to hard to pull, I think the Yellow ones the best. If you go to a Sports store or a PT. they can give you some diagrams to follow on how to use the bands. So esy, I can do this while watching TV, my kind of excerise.

I also have a Pulley for my right arm, to keep the Muscle's fro athraping (SP), it's called "The Home Ranger" really, and it too has some instructions on how to use this.

It's so impoortant to keep our Muscle's moving and yet it Hurt's, so I find the Range of Motion excerise's the best. You can even do them in the Pool , love that.

Hope I've helped, sorry it's so long, but now I will say, SO Long, and have a great day,

I`ve been having this problem too. My ankles have always been weak especially my right one. I`ve sprained that one so many times I can`t count them.

But lately its my feet and legs. I can hardly walk in the morning. I feel like a newborn colt trying to walk on my legs for the first time when I get up in the morning. Its very strange. My legs feel so weak and like their not even mine sometimes.

I`ve also had a very painful heel spur that tortures me.
That has made walking difficult also.

I am only 45 but feel like I`m 100. My Grandparents get around better then me. He-he. Well at least nobodys but me in the old-folks home yet!!

Sometimes during a bad flare, I feel as if my ankles are not even attached to my feet and have to be very careful especially going down stairs. Luckily, that feeling eventually passes. It's so funny - during flares my muscles and connective tissue feels weak and rubbery but when I'm better I feel relatively strong which leads me to believe (hopefully) that the muscles are OK, we just HURT during a flare or attack. So many symptoms in varying degrees for so many people.

'This really stinks! I'm only 49 and feel/act like I'm 75!!'
Me too! Well, I am feeling more like 89. It really makes you feel unsure of yourself, when you fall like that. I've done it too. A cane helps on bad days, but just being aware helps. Then you won't make fast turns or anything like that. Also there is a strong correlation between FM and EDS, or hypermobility. That's when the tendons and ligaments holding the bones in place stretch more than they should, thus the crash. You might want to read up on EDS and mention it to your doctor. Also you may want to double check the meds you are presently on since they could also be the culprit. Easy Spirit makes some comfy good shoes too. Toss out any heels for sure.
One thing is for sure, you aren't alone!
H

Are you still suffering from that heal spur? If so please start taking Glucosamine & Chondroitin, Pro Health has a special on it right now. Its called' Xtra Strength Gluxosamine/Chondroitin. Buy two get one free.

Also Twinlab puts out a good formula called; 'Joint Fuel'.
But its very expensive, no difference in the two.

I had a heel spur, and I though I would lose my mind it hurt so bad. I bought every kind of shoe you could think of, went to a foot doctor, he made special pads for my shoe(plus sold me a pair of shoes that were ugly as sin for $125.00). None of this helped. I refused shots.

I took the above for two weeks, soaked my foot in Epson Salts and Peroxide and it was gone. I never had it since, thats about 5 years ago. I can wear my high heels again!

My husband had a spur in his elbow, it was horrible, swollen, red and hurt him like hell. He went to the doctor, they gave him cortosone shots, well it healed it, but in three weeks it started up again.

He 'decided' to listen to me, and took the Joint Fuel, it was gone in a couple of weeks, and has not come back. He takes the Glucosamine/Chondroitin for half a year now, as a preventive. We switched from the Twinlab to the Pro Health, same stuff just cheaper.

They are caused from Arthritis.

Sure hope you get some help soon. A heel spur is no different in pain than an absessed tooth! Just on the foot instead of the mouth.

I too have weak ankles. On my bad days I have to be extremely careful when I am walking. I take smaller steps and walk slower than than my normal "turtle speed." I have taken many spills in public and in my home that I really have to concentrate sometimes when I am walking to keep from toppling over. I have also fallen down the stairs several times.......It's just part of this unfortunate journey.

SHIRL: That's one of my greatest fears, falling down steps! And now that you mention it, my knees have been known to give out from time to time also. This is not good, is it?

DEBBIE: I, too, lose my balance fairly often. I'll be standing there talking to someone and my body just starts leaning like the Tower of Piza and I have to take a step to catch myself. It's so embarassing, I appear to be intoxicated! But I have no pain so far in the ankles, thank goodness.

KREDCA: What is CMP? Also, I ALWAYS wear flats or sneakers, my feet can't tolerate any kind of heel anymore. I will look into the Dr Scholls shoes, never thought of that, and will also look into exercises for the ankles, good idea.

SANDY: You have sprained your ankles many times? How excruciating! I was in alot of pain with my sprain, almost as if I had a fracture. I feel so bad for you!

CAROLYN: I can pretty much walk at normal speed (so far) if my legs feel okay, but I definitely take it easy going down steps and hold on to the handrail even tighter now that I've fallen. At the top of the steps, my ankles usually seem stiff, like they don't want to bend. Does that sound familiar?

MTNDEWS: Hadn't heard of EDS, thanks!! I will do some research on it. I was shocked to hear that it could be my meds???

KRESNA: Actually sometimes I do walk slower if I feel like I can't trust my legs and/or ankles. We have to, don't we, or suffer the consequences!

DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY SHOES/SNEAKERS THAT HAVE GOOD ANKLE SUPPORT?

Thanks again to all. I'm sorry you're having these problems too. I didn't realize how many did!